History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 96

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

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netered the Eden of brotherly love, and a change came over the spirit of their dreams. Elias Hicks arose, and claiming to be guided by an inward light superior to that which lighted the path of George Fox, proclaimed divers new and strange doctrines in the hearing of the heretofore solemn and staid brotherhood. The consequence was, dissen- tion in the course of time reached the Owl creek society, and the sliding partition in the brick meet- ing house became a permanent line of division between the Hicksites and the orthodox.

In their case the adage that "a house divided against itself cannot stand," was clearly verified, and at this day scarcely anything remains to memorize the Friends' society of Owl creek, except the old brick meeting house, with its large outside chimneys, plain front doors, moss-grown roof and weather-beaten walls, as it still stands there desolate and unoccupied in the pleasant beech and maple grove, whose welcome shade long years ago was sought by man and beast. There it stands the very picture of desolation, gradually yielding to the disintegrating tooth of time, des- tined soon to share the fate of the little flock that used to meet within its walls.

The seasons roll on-spring time returns, and with it the grass on the old churchyard comes forth, matures, fades, and dies, untrodden by the foot of man save by the stranger whose curiosity may have led him thither. The beech and maple grove obeys Nature's call, and in due time puts on its robes of living green; the birds build their nests in its branches and sing their merry songs; but the ears that once heard them with so much pleasure hear them no more. Eyes that gazed with delight upon the surrounding forest see those beauties no longer, for quietly they now sleep beneath the green sod of the burying ground near the old church. They have gone to rest while many of their off- spring have gone to seek their fortunes in the far West, forgetting alike the scenes of their youth and their early parental instructions.

Among the more recent faithful ones belonging to this now extinct band were Joseph Barrington and wife. Elizabeth, widow of Joseph Barrington, and Birthday Cone are the only survivors that are now living within the bounds of the old society. They are now stricken in years, and when they have

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gone to their long home the last lights of the Friends' society of Owl creek will have become ex- tinct.

The class from which the Methodist Episcopal church of Batemantown originated was organized at the house of Mrs. Sarah Murphy, one mile north of Batemantown, in the spring of 1831. The or- iginal members were Alvin Bateman and Flora Bateman, his wife ; Luther Bateman and Wealthy, his wife; Sarah Murphy; William Murphy and Sarah Ann, his wife; Jane Fiddler, Robert Murphy, Charles Post, Hiram Murphy and Hannah, his wife, and a man named Welch. Alvin Bateman was the first leader. Leonidas Hamlin was the first preacher and formed the class. This class met at the house of Mrs. Murphy until 1832 when a frame church, twenty-four by thirty-six, was erect- ed on the Main road about one-fourth of a mile southeast of Batemantown. The trustees at that time were William Murphy, Alvin Bateman, Lu- then Bateman, Charles Post, and Robert Murphy. In 1844 the congregation was divided, a part go- ing to Waterford where a society was formed, and in 1856 the Bateman society erected a new frame church, thirty by forty, at Batemantown in which they still worship. The present number of mem- bers is about thirty. The leader is Zachariah Zodiker.

The first class of the Methodist Episcopal church, organized in Waterford, was some time previous to 1844, by Rev. Sandford Parker, and in 1844 a regular church organization was effected, the following persons being members: William McCluckion and Joanna, his wife; Lucinda Daw- son, Susan Dawson, Andrew Welch and Lydia, his wife; Joseph Mann and Sarah, his wife; Charles Wagner and Anna, his wife, and Jemima his daughter; William Murphy and Sarah Ann, his wife; Basil Murphy and Abigail, his wife; Hiram Murphy and Hannah, his wife; Alfred Walters and Winifred, his wife, and Elizabeth and Sarah V., his daughters; John Levering and Charlotte, his wife; Silas Pierson and Priscilla, his wife; N. Galliher, Samuel Galliher and Phebe, his wife; Joseph Galliher and America, his wife, David, his son, and Elizabeth, his granddaughter; William Levering, Ruth, his wife, Milton, his son, and Nancy, his daughter, and Prelett Taft. The classleaders

were Joseph Mann. Samuel Galliher, and Alfred Walters. In 1844 a neat frame church, forty by sixty, was erected in Waterford, and the dedication sermon preached by Rev. Adam Poe.

The following have been the preachers in charge of this congregration : Revs. Sanford Parker, John Scholes, Mansfield French, Hiram Shafer, - Walter, John McNabb, James Wheeler, A. K. Owen, James Wheeler, Daniel Lambert, John Mc- Nabb, F. J. Close, John Mitchell, John Bloomfield, Harvey H. Wilson, John Kellam, Oman Lawrence, William Spafford, R. S. Moffatt, C. C. Ball, A. L. S. Bateman, William Smith, G. R. Walker, W. W. Smith, Silas Seymour, E. O. Buxton, M. B. Meade, Elnathan Raymond, and James McMahon. The maximum number of members was seventy-five. The present is number, twenty. William Penn is class leader.

The early Presbyterian preachers in the vicinity of Waterford were Revs. James Scott and James Cunningham, but no organization was effected till 1849, when Rev. J. M. Faris became pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. John Hughes, and he by Revs. Caldwell and Hamilton. The next in order was Rev. Luke Dorland, succeeded by Rev. W. W. Anderson. Following Anderson came Revs. Brown and McClelland. The present pastor is Rev. W. M. Ferguson. The first members of ses- sion were J. J. Turner and William Killen. In 1849 a neat frame church, forty by fifty, was erected at the west end of the village, and the Presbyterian church of Waterford became one of the institutions of the town. The number of mem- bers is not known.

The Seventh Day Adventist church of Water- ford, was organized at the house of E. C. Penn, in Morrow county, Ohio, by Elder O. Mars, of Bowl- inggreen, Ohio. The original members were George Bisel and wife, W. T. Carson and wife, E. O. Penn and wife, and W. S. Boon. Their first meetings were held in private houses until 1874, when a neat substantial frame church was erected on a lot purchased of R. S. Keyes, one-half mile west of Waterford. The building is twenty-eight by thirty-eight feet ; cost one thousand two hundred dollars, and was dedicated by Elder H. A. St. John, in January, 1875. The present mem- bership is forty-four. E. C. Penn is the present

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elder. The church has no regular pastor at present.

Owl Creek Lodge No. 686, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, located at Waterford, Knox county, Ohio, was instituted July 31, 1879, by Grand Secretary William C. Earle, assisted by Past Grands S. Brown, R. G. Mills, N. E. Edwards, E. F. Baugham, George Hostetter, and George W. Shurr. The charter members were: V. E. Dye, J. A. Fish, J. G. Bayer, O. P. Dyer, E. Daily, Peter Drake, W. W. Ludwig, Jeremiah Williams, and John Gleason. The first officers installed were: J. G. Bayers, N. G .; J. A. Fish, V. G .; V. E. Dye, secretary; O. P. Dyer, treasurer. The first members initiated were: E. L. Grubb, Curtis Hardgrove, C. C. Hill, John Adlesperger, Leander Ackerman, and S. M. Painter. The lodge meets every Saturday evening at their rooms in Waterford. In addition to the charter members eighteen mem- bers have been initiated and one admitted by card. The total membership is twenty-eight. The officers installed January 1, 1881, are as follows: O. P. Dye, N. G .; W. W. Ludwig, V. G .; Curtis Hardgrove, secretary; Leander Ackerman, treas- urer.

Middlebury was named by the county commis- sioners, at the suggestion of Luther Bateman, to. perpetuate the memory of Middlebury in Ver- mont, from whence many of the settlers came.

It is essentially an agricultural district, there be- ing but one village, and no manufacturing establish- ments of any importance within its bounds. It contains six schools, of the ordinary district char- acter, and at one time boasted of an institution denominated Westminster academy. It was situa- ted in the town of Waterford, and conducted by Rev. Robert Morrison and his brother, Professor William Morrison, both of the State of Kentucky. This institution grew out of a division in the Pres- byterian church on the subject of slavery and its abolition. Those who were opposed to that meas- ure seceded and started an academy to perpetuate their views. It was well patronized for a time- pupils coming from Holmes county and elsewhere who were in harmony with the political character of the institution, but after the settlement of the vexed question by the emancipation proclamation and the arbitrament of arms, Westminster academy passed into history.

Middlebury township has produced some men not entirely "to fortune and to fame unknown." Lawrence Van Buskirk (now deceased) came to Knox county in 1830 and located on the northwest quarter of section two, one mile east of Waterford In 1848 he was elected to the legislature of Ohio, and in 1851 he was elected to the State senate.

Hon. Columbus Delano was reared near Bate- mantown and went to Mt. Vernon to practice law, whereby his history became identified with that of the city, where it will be found.

Hon. William Windom was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 10, 1827. His parents, Heze- kiah and Mercy Windom, came from Virginia and became members of the Hicksite branch of the So- ciety of Friends. At an early age he came with his parents to Middlebury township and located on the northeast quarter of section two, one and a half miles east of Waterford, where his boyhood days were spent on the farm; but disliking the business he learned the tailoring trade with J. D. Burke, of Waterford. The first coat he made after finishing his apprenticeship was for John Walters, now of Fredericktown, and was by no means a suc- cess as a fit. Being fully persuaded that he possessed "a soul above buttons," he went to Mt. Vernon while yet a young man, and there entered the law office of the late Judge R. C. Hurd. After being admitted to the bar he was elected prosecuting attorney of Knox county, as a Whig, in 1852, by a majority of three hundred. While studying law he delivered tem- perance lectures through the country, and on one occasion, while lecturing in Morrow county, the roughs of Woodbury threatened to mob him if he attempted to speak. Nothing daunted, however, he proceeded to the hall, and laying a pistol on the stand, went on with his lecture unmolested. In 1855 he went to Winona, Minnesota, with his asso- ciate, Hon. Daniel S. Norton. Norton was elected to the United States Senate, and at his death was succeeded by Mr. Windom, since which time his career is too well known to require repetition here.

In 1830 the population of Middlebury was 705; in 1840 it was 1,002; in 1850, 1,092; in 1860, 1,- 040; in 1870, 992; in 1880 it was 912. In 1880 the total number of acres returned for taxation was 12,790; the number of acres cultivated was 4,781 ; number of acres in pasture, 6,457; acres in wheat,

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

971; bushels of wheat, 19,367; acres in oats, 571; bushels of oats, 18,704; acres in corn, 1,577; bushels of corn 52,268; acres in meadow, 1,280; tons of hay, 1,284; acres in potatoes, 45; bushels of potatoes, 6,265 ; pounds of wool, 34,044; pounds of butter, 40,300. The number of horses in 1880 was 378; the assessed value of the same was $20,- 955; the number of cattle was 849 ; assessed value of same, $12,070; number of sheep, 7,681 ; assessed value of same, $17,820; number of hogs, 994; as- sessed value of same, $3,132. Total value of all taxable property, $188,314 ; moneys and credits, $94,780.

CHAPTER LVIII.

MILFORD TOWNSHIP.

TOPOGRAPHY-TIMBER-WILD ANIMALS-ORGANIZATION- NAME-FIRST SETTLERS AND SETTLEMENTS-THE WHERE- ABOUTS OF THE PIONEERS-THE GREAT WOLF HUNT- FIRST ROADS-PROMINENT CITIZENS-THE GIANT-THE BAND-THE FIRST VOLUNTEER COMPANY-THE RAILROAD SWINDLE-THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT FUND-POLITCAL -FIVE CORNERS-LOCK-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES.

THE surface is generally level, or slightly rolling. I The north fork of Licking creek flows along near the southern border of Milford. Along this creek the soil is very fertile. Sycamore creek rises in the western part, runs an easterly course through the township near the centre; between these two creeks the surface is level, and the soil fertile. That part north of Sycamore is more rolling, and some portions is composed of a heavy yellow clay soil. Dry creek flows across the extreme northwest corner of the township. The surface generally slopes to the south and east, except in the extreme northern part, where the slope is north, towards Dry creek.

This township is well adapted to grazing; but by proper cultivation any portion of it produces most excellent crops or corn, wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, and various kinds of vegetables and fruit in abund- ance.

It was originally covered with a dense forest, the principal timber being beech, rock maple, soft ma-

ple, elm, white and black ash, hickory, white and swamp oak, black walnut, white walnut, wild cherry, basswood, cucumber, buckeye and sycamore, with a dense growth of underbrush, consisting chiefly of spice-bush, black-haw, ironwood, dogwood, blue beech, etc. Along the streams and wet lands were an abundant growth of leeks, wild onions, cowslips, and many other varieties of vegetation.

Among the wild animals, the deer, opossum, por- cupine, black and grey squirrel, raccoon and rab- bit were very abundant. The grey wolf, was the most troublesome, frequently making sad havoc with the few. sheep, in the country. Occasionally a black bear made his appearance among the first settlers. The wild turkey, pheasant, and several varieties of the owl and hawk, with many other species of the feathered tribe, were very abundant.

In 1808 Milford, and what now comprises Hil- liar, Miller, Morgan and the west half of Clay, the south half of Pleasant, and the southwest quarter of Harrison township, constituted the township of Morgan.

On the fourth day of September, 1815, Morgan township was divided by the commissioners, form- ing a new township called Sycamore. This town- ship, Sycamore, comprised what is now Hilliar, Milford, Miller, and a strip of land one mile wide from the west side of Morgan, and one section from the southwest corner of Pleasant.

On the tenth day of October, 1815, the name of this township was changed from Sycamore to Mil- ler. *

In 1818 a petition was presented to the commis- sioners of Knox county, praying for the erection of a new township, to be taken off the west end of Miller, to be called Hilliar. On the twenty-eighth day of August, 1818, the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and Hilliar township was organized.

In 1825 a petition was presented to the commis- sioners of Knox country, praying for the erection of a new township, to be taken from the west side of Miller, to be called Milford.

On the third day of March, 1823, the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and Milford, from that time to the present, has constituted one of the townships of Knox county, and comprises a terri-

*See Miller township.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

tory five miles square. Norton says it received its name in the following manner :

The settlers met together and various names were presented; among the number, Judson Lamson proposed that it should be called Milford, taking the idea from his native town, New Mil- ford, Connecticut. Some objection was offered to every other name but this, and in consideration of the fact that Mr. Lamson was one of the oldest settlers, and also of its being a New Eng- land name -- those present being all from "down east"-it was adopted.

The north half of Milford consisted of unappro- priated military lands; was surveyed into sections of six hundred and forty acres, and each section divided into quarter sections. The south half con- sisted of United States military bounty lands. The west half of the third or southwest quarter of the township was owned by Celladon Symms; and con- tained two thousand acres; the east half of the same quarter was owned by - - Burnett. The fourth or southeast quarter was owned by James Parker, and contained four thousand acres.

The first white settlement in Milford was made in 1812. In the spring of that year, Thomas Mer- rill and James Pell, from Massachusetts, purchased the northwest quarter of section five, being the northwest quarter section in the township. They built their cabins and located there with their fami- lies the same spring. Mr. Merrill had one daugh- ter, Mrs. E. W. Cotton, now residing in Mt. Vernon. In the fall of the same year, John Davis located with his family on the southwest quarter of section six. He was an elder in the Baptist church, and in those early times he usually wore buckskin pant- aloons. His wife died about 1818, probably the first white person to die in the township. Mr. Davis was a small man-very industrious and per- severing. About 1828 he removed to Allen county, Ohio, where he died, about 1855. He had one daughter, Matilda, wife of Arnold Bishop, now re- siding in the township, at the age of seventy-three years. She has lived in the township sixty-nine years, being its oldest inhabitant.

In 1816, Major Buxton purchased the southwest quarter of section nine, and his brother Sylvester, the southeast quarter of the same section; each built a cabin on his lot and lived there about one year. These brothers were from Vermont, and they and their families are all dead long ago.

In 1817, John Beardslee purchased the south-

east quarter of section nine of Sylvester Buxton. In 1818, William Beardslee, a brother of John, purchased the west part of this quarter section, and located there. In 1820 John Beardslee built a cabin on the east part, where he now resides, at the age of eighty-eight years; being the only one of the first settlers now living in the township. He lives with his daughter Mary on the old homestead. He has three sons living; George in Illinois, Charles in Washington, District of Columbia, and Henry in Nebraska William Beardslee lived on his farm until about 1850. He reared a large family; his oldest son, Platt G., long a resident of the town- ship, died in the winter of 1880-81; John B. re- sides in Mt. Vernon; Betsy, wife of George Bene- dict, resides in Gambier; Catharine, widow of Erastus Rouse, resides in Brandon; Adaline, wife of Major Nathan Bostwick, in Newark; Job lives in Union county, Ohio, and Dr. William, in Ross county. Mary, wife of A. W. Hildreth, is dead. The Beardslees are descendants of the Rev. John Beardslee, of Stratford, on Avon, Shakespeare's home. They removed to this place from New Haven, Connecticut.

In 1817, two brothers, Harris and Stephen Haw- kins, from Rhode Island, purchased of Major Bux- ton, the southwest quarter of section nine. Here they spent their remaining days on earth-and both reared large and respectable families. Harris Hawkins has three children now living in the town- ship, viz: Margaret, wife of Almon Mitchell; Mar- tha, wife of James Rice, and Daniel. Harris Hawkins was a blacksmith and worked at his trade several years, having the first shop in the township. In 1828 he built the first brick house in the town- ship. He was an honest, industrious citizen, and died August, 1865.

Stephen Hawkins died in 1856; of his family only three are now living, viz: William, Sarah A., and Mary, wife of William Pickering; all reside on the old homestead. In 1817, Gardner Bishop purchased the southwest quarter of section three. This farm has been in possession of the Bishop family to the present time, his son, Daniel Bishop, now residing on it, though it has recently passed into the hands of Arnold Bishop, jr. Gardner came from Rhode Island.

In the same year Jacob Simons, from Vermont,

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

located on the northwest quarter of section ten; he had one son, Horton J., now of Mt. Vernon, and one daughter, Minerva, widow of Salmon Hooker, now living.

In the year 1817, Aaron Hill, from Massachus- etts, who emigrated to Knox county in 1811, pur- chased the northwest quarter of section three. Mr. N. N. Hill, of Mt. Vernon, is the only son now living.

In the same year Erastus Riley and James Rob- inson purchased the northeast quarter of section one; James Fay purchased the northwest quarter of the same section, and John Lash, the southwest quarter.

In the same year Judson Lamson, from Connecti- cut, purchased the northeast quarter of section eight. He came to Milford in the month of February, and after making maple sugar through the month of March, returned to Connecticut on foot, per- forming the journey at the rate of fifty miles per day. The same year he returned with his family, and made this his home. He died on the old homestead, May, 1867, aged eighty-eight years. He was a brickmason by trade, possessed great power of endurance, and has probably performed more hard labor than any man that ever lived in this township. He was an honest, upright and much respected citizen. His daughter, Jane, wife of W. A. Disney, now resides in the township, and his son, Levi J., resides in Wisconsin. Three sons and one daughter are dead.

In the same year - Holister purchased the northeast quarter of section three. He reared a large family of which most are dead. Harmon resides in Liberty township.

During the next two years most of the north half of the township was settled-one of the first pur- chasers being John Jeffers in 1818, who settled on the southeast quarter of section three. Three of his children are yet living, viz: Mary Ann, widow of Smith Bishop, on the old Smith Bishop farm in this township; Almira, wife of Johnson King, in Springfield, Ohio, and Laura, widow of David Hill, now in her seventy-first year, in Mans- field, Ohio.

Jesse Smith settled on the northwest quarter of section two; Uziel Stevens, on the northeast quarter of section two; Leonard Simons, on the

southeast quarter of section ten; John Simons, on the northeast quarter of section nine ; Curtis Terril, on the northwest quarter of section nine. The latter has one daughter now living on the same farm. John Stevens settled on the southwest quarter of section two; Harvey Jones, on the south- east quarter of section two: James Severe, on the northwest quarter of section four; John Severe, on the southwest quarter of section five; John Lash, on the southwest quarter of section seven.

In 1819, the following persons settled in Mil- ford: John Beardslee, on the northwest quarter of section eleven; Wilber and Russell, on the north- east quarter of section twelve; John Burbank, on the southwest quarter of section ten.

About 1824 William HI. Smith purchased the northeast quarter of section eleven and the west part of the southeast quarter of section ten. On this lot he erected a tanyard, and carried on the business of making leather several years. He was a representative in the Ohio legislature two terms. His widow is living at the present time.

In the same year Smith Bishop purchased the southeast quarter of section four, and Arnold Bishop, the northeast quarter of section four where he now resides, being one of the very few pioneers now living in the township.

About 1826 Frederick J. Disney, from Mary- land, purchased the west part of the northeast quarter of section thirteen; his widow now resides on the same farm.

About the same time Cornelius Sharp located on the northwest quarter of the same section.

In 1829 Preserve Smith, from Connecticut, pur- ceased the southeast quarter of section eight, and made it his home until his death October, 1871. This farm is now owned by his son-in-law, F. S. Rowley.

About the same year Aaron Teegarden pur- chased the southeast quarter of section fifteen; the same farm is now owned by his son, Samuel. John Hard purchased the southeast quarter of sec- tion seven.

In 1830 Milton Keech purchased the east half of the southwest quarter of section eight, and John Bostwick, the west half of the same quarter.

In the same year Thomas Niel purchased the northeast quarter of section fifteen; and Samuel

J. D.M. Kisson Del

"FOREST HOME"-RESIDENCE OF JOHN NICHOLS, ESQ., DEMOCRACY POST OFFICE, PIKE TP., KNOX COUNTY, O.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

Triplet, the northwest quarter of section fourteen.

In 1831 Gilbert Mckown, from Virginia, pur- chased the northeast quarter of section fourteen, the last quarter section held by the United States in this township.

About the year 1824 Abraham Jackson, from Pennsylvania, purchased of Lash the southwest quarter of section one. This Jackson family have continued much respected citizens of Milford to the present time.

About 1830 Platt G. Beardslee purchased of John Burbank the south part of the southwest cor- ner òf section ten, where he made his permanent residence until his death, January 30, 1881. He was a man much respected in the community where he lived.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 96

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096